How to Break a Heart (To be published by LIB)

Nineteen

“Say it to someone who believes you.” umiling-iling si Vin. Inalis na rin niya ang tingin sa akin at uminom ng sarili niyang bote ng alak. He doesn’t like drinking that much, lalo na at night out namin magka-kaibigan dahil ayaw niya pa daw mamatay and according to him, somebody needs to be responsible.

I ended up waking up in Vin’s pad. Actually, we all did. We were all drunk that night and according to him, he was too lazy to drive us back one by one. Yumanig ang buong mundo ko sa sobrang sakit ng ulo ko. I woke up damn late that I missed my first class. Nagmadali ako sa pagligo at pagbihis. Hindi na ako umuwi at nakihiram na lang ng damit ni Vin. It’s a good thing that he always has a spare new undergarments because there is now way I’m going to wear his or re-wear the one that I’m wearing.

Tutal, malapit naman na kami ma-late, sinulit na namin sa pagdaan ng drive thru to order breakfast. Nakaalis na yung tatlo at ako na lang ang natira sa pad ni Vin. Wala yung sasakyan ko kaya nagpahatid na lang ako sa kanya sa school and ask them to drop me by later para kunin iyon.

Sinilip ko ang phone ko habang kinakain ang burger na inorder ko para sa sarili ko. I don’t know what I was looking for. Paulit-ulit kong isinasara ang inbox ko at binubuksan ito. Ilang beses ko na rin sina-swipe ang screen pero wala namang nagbabago.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” biglang sabi sa akin ni Vin. Napalingon ako sa kanya at natagpuan na hindi man lang siya nakatingin sa akin.

“What am I exactly doing?” I asked him because I don’t have any idea what he’s talking about.

“With Allie. I hope you know what you’re doing with her.”

Kumuyom ang panga ko. “Eto na naman ba ang pag-uusapan natin, Vin?” I smirked and it didn’t reach my eyes. Sinulyapan ako ni Vin bago ibinalik ang tingin sa kalsada.

“Look, Arron, hindi ko alam kung ano ang meron sa inyong dalawa but I suggest you stop it. She’s taken, dude. Maraming ibang babae diyan na pwedeng pagpilian–”

“That’s exactly it, Vin. You don’t know anything.”

“I’m just concerned.”

“There’s nothing to be concerned about.” and that ended our conversation. He knows it was finished kaya hindi na siya ulit nagsalita. Buong biyahe ay tahimik lang kaming dalawa. Bumaba na agad ako pagkadating na pagkadating namin sa car park.

I was sipping the remains of my coffee and tending my headache at the same time when I saw an angel rushing her way to somewhere. Okay, the angel thing was too much. She’s not even close to being a saint–but damn, I don’t know if the alcohol hasn’t worn out yet but she really looked like an angel passing by. An angel with the phone on her ear, that  is. She looked pale today but she still look damn bea–shit, ang bading talaga. I’ve never called anyone beautiful. Si Carmela at ang nanay ko lang. Damn talaga.